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New House Tour

Good morning! It’s our 3rd beautiful sunny Sunday in a row. I was up super early, which worked out well because it’s also really warm and humid here. I went out for a run around 6AM, and it was already steamy.

So it’s been quite a week for our household! I’ve been keeping my daily email subscribers in the loop all along, but for those just catching up, we closed on our new house on Thursday. It’s officially ours! We wasted no time getting over there to start cleaning and moving things in, and we’ve got the swimming pool up and running. The girls are loving that.

Our official moving day isn’t for a couple more weeks, but we’ve been bringing boxes over and cleaning and setting up storage shelves. The bathrooms and laundry room are clean and set up already, and I’m about halfway through with the kitchen. I hate to work on a Sunday, but I’d like to finish cleaning out the kitchen and get things situated in there. We’ve been spending a large part of our days over there, and we need to be able to use the kitchen fridge and cabinets. Plus the painters we’ve hired start tomorrow (YAY!) so I don’t want to be underfoot when they’re painting the kitchen.

I’m not sure how much I’ll want to be there if they’re painting, so we’ll have to “play it by ear” this week, but my girls would be perfectly happy to be moved in already. They want to spend as much time as they can over there, and to be honest, so do I.

I did a video tour on my Insta Story earlier in the week (it’s saved in my highlight reel if you missed it) but I also promised to share some before pictures here.

I took a ton, but it’s hard to have much perspective without furniture in the space. I guess it’s a start, anyway! I’ll be sharing my room makeovers as I go along, but this way you can see what I’m starting with.

Somehow I didn’t get a picture of the front of the house or the backyard, so I will share those later. This is the front entry, what you see when you walk in the front door.

And this is the foyer when you’re coming in from the other direction. As you can see, it’s quite large, so I have plans for a big rug.

It’s a center hall colonial, so the dining room is on one side of the foyer and the living room is on the other.

The previous owners left us their china cabinet and buffet, and I’m glad to have the storage, but I definitely want to get something bigger for that buffet wall eventually.

The powder room is behind the living room, and it has a window for natural light, which I don’t have in my current powder room. I want to wallpaper this room and get a new vanity/mirror/light, etc. so stay tuned for that makeover project!

The kitchen and family room are in the back of the house. You can either walk through the dining room to get back there, or you can go straight on through the foyer and around the staircase. The French doors you see from the foyer lead to the back deck.

My kitchen is going to be great for entertaining. I love that huge island.

I prefer a traditional fireplace, but the stone facade is kind of fun for a change, and I LOVE that huge window and all the light it lets in.

There’s also a back door to the house, and that brings you into the mudroom. In our current house, everyone traipses through the front door and leaves their shoes and bags in their wake, so it will be SO nice to have this back entrance. Of course I have grand plans to put in a bench and cubbies and hooks, etc. Maybe something like this.

There’s also a 2nd staircase leading upstairs, which I love. All of that carpet is getting replaced next week.

Okay, so upstairs there are 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a laundry room. I KNOW. It’s crazytown. I never thought I’d have a 5th bedroom, but it’s going to come in very handy for this family of 5.

My son may be be going to college, but I still want him to have a room to come home to when/if he wants it, and we often have houseguests. We’ve always stuck them on a pullout couch in the living room or given up our bedroom, so having a dedicated guest room will be such a luxury.

I didn’t take pictures of everything because empty bedrooms are pretty blah, but this is the master. That ceiling fan will be the first thing to go!

And there’s a sitting area, which I’ll probably be using for my blogging area. I’ll have a big mirror, my clothing rack where I keep clothes for the blog separate from my closet, and maybe some decorative shelving for bags and things… I really don’t know what all I’ll do with it, but that’s where I plan to do my Facebook Lives and my mirror selfies.

We have his and hers walk-in closets — another luxury I never thought I’d have, but there is no organization so that’s something I need to tackle soon. Here’s mine.

And the master bathroom is spacious with lots of natural light, although you wouldn’t know from the picture quality. We also have 2 separate vanities, which will be really nice for my husband. I’m sure he’s tired of my overflow, although he never complains.

The girls each have their own bathrooms, which was a subject of MUCH debate. I was planning to have them share the Jack & Jill bath, leaving the 3rd bathroom for guests and my son when he’s home.

But they finally wore me down with their persuasive arguments as to why they should each have their own space, and I decided that I’d be happier if I wasn’t listening to them fight over it, so here we are.

There is this little nook in the upstairs hallway that I have NO CLUE what to do with. Ideas???

I’ve never had a second floor laundry room, but I think that might work out to be really convenient. I also love that it has a window!

This space is really awkward; we might put the washer and dryer side by side when we make over this room, but for now it will stay as is.

And I guess that’s it! I didn’t take any pictures of the backyard or my office.

We have plans for just about every room in the house, but I know we can’t do it all at once, so I’m trying to figure out how to prioritize things. I’m just happy we can do the paint and carpet before we move in.

This week, while the painters are there, I’m not sure what I’ll be doing, but I do have a blog to maintain so I’ll probably spend more time here at home than I have over the past few days. And of course the Fourth of July is thrown in there! We have no plans at the moment, but we may end up going to our swim club where we can see the fireworks at a nearby park.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Join The Conversation

115 Responses

  1. Hi Jo-Lynne, It is so fun to see your new house! You are truly blessed to be moving into such a wonderful place with lots of room and that kitchen island! Enjoy the pool during this heat wave!

  2. I loved the tour! The foyer reminds me of Gone With The Wind. I will think of you as Scarlett! Ha LOL Enjoy it all.

    1. True story – when I was little, I watched Gone With The Wind so much that I started acting like Scarlett — according to my mother. She had to ban the movie for a while. Haha!! From now on, I shall answer to Jo-Lynne OR Scarlett. 😉

  3. Jo-Lynne
    What great space you have to work with! So pretty. That foyer could hold one of those pretty round tables you often see in entryways. What about a built in for the little alcove? I have a similar space and we used it for a hutch type piece but it is on our main floor. You might like the storage of a cabinet with shelves over it. So fun to have so many options with this home! 

    1. I so have a bookcase with glass doors – a pretty antique piece from Paul’s family – we were thinking of putting that in the nook. And maybe a small chair too, if we can fit it. 🙂 A lot of people are thinking a round table in the foyer… I’ll have to look around. I like it open, but that might be fun.

  4. What a beautiful house! I can easily see a round rug with a round pedestal table in your new entryway. My tip for when you replace the guest bath vanity is to get a vanity with at least a little storage underneath for extra toilet paper, etc. I have what you have now and it’s awkward when people are over and you have no where to put extra and they have to ask for more.

    1. Hi Debbie… some bath tissue storage options for you… a shelf above the toilet where you can put a basket with a couple of rolls in it and add a plant, candle, or other decorative items to the shelf. A wicker, metal or fabric basket in a corner with several rolls in it. A lidded box or basket on the toilet tank. A hanging wall basket or decorative container on the back of the door or on the wall. And finally, just sit an extra roll on the tank in plain sight because, hey, we all need it. 😉 Hope these ideas can help!

    2. Yes, I do want to do that eventually. I actually LOVE a pedestal sink, and at first I thought I’d replace it with a big square one, but I really need a spot for cleaning supplies and stuff, and I think I’ll just look for a really cool vanity. Also, I bought this for storing extra TP where people can see it: https://shopstyle.it/l/NEqr

  5. Jo-Lynne, your new home is just lovely! I would be overwhelmed with decorating all that space, but oh, would I have fun ;).  Enjoy your Sunday, and isn’t it your birthday today? If so, Happy Birthday!

    1. Thanks, Debbie, yes, yesterday was my birthday. It got overshadowed with house stuff, but we brought stuff over to the new house and my husband grilled burgers, and he gave me new dishtowels. Haha! I told him the house was my gift so no need to go overboard this year. The dishtowels are perfect – exactly what I wanted. 🙂

  6. It’s beautiful! Thank you for sharing pics with us, it’s going to be fun to watch as you make it your own. 
    Not sure what the upstairs nook will be, but lots of potential…

  7. Beautiful home!! Thanks for the tour. I agree with the idea of a cozy reading nook in the upstairs area and a round table with round rug in the foyer. Happy decorating and settling in!

  8. I love your house. This is very similar to what we hope to have someday, hopefully in the next few years. We also hope to have more room for gathering and entertaining as our children get older and have families of their own. Anyway, you will love it. In that nook space upstairs, you could put a book shelf there and a few fun chairs and make a little library or reading area?

    1. Yeah, fun idea. And also, I’m excited for family gatherings and church gatherings. My current/old house (never know what to call it now, haha) is lovely, but the entertaining space is just a bit undersized for our gatherings, and this will be SO much nicer.

  9. Great spaces!    That little nook upstairs, i would put a comfy chair & a little table & turn it into a reading nook.  

  10. That extra nook area would be a cute space for a desk, or a sitting area. If you don’t need either of those then you might want to close it in for extra closet space. Have fun decorating your beautiful new house! 

    1. I was thinking a desk too, but no one wants to work there. I thought my husband could do bills and stuff… he usually uses the dining room table, and that is a definite NO now that it’s in my entryway.

  11. Great house. Happy for you. Can’t wait to see it with furniture. Do you have a cleaning lady? Lots to clean. Ha

  12. I love seeing your pictures and reading your thoughts about your plans for each space. There’s just something about decorating homes that I love (and I’m terrible at it!) so I really appreciate reading your thought process!! Again, I am TOTALLY in love with your new home and am very happy for you and your family on buying this treasure!!!!

    1. I’m the same, I love it but also feel like I’m terrible at it. I am working with a designer, and it’s expensive, but whenever I try to figure out something myself, I get so bogged down in decisions and frustrated, and I give up and just decide to consult her. LOL! It saves SO much time and angst.

  13. What a beautiful house… the foyer is to die for.. how fun to have that when entertaining… I see a big round table being a possibility but you would loose some space in the center and may be too formal looking.. the stone around the fireplace is nice and you can certainly work with it depending on your style of decorating. Love the island… I use mine all the time lol it’s almost like I have no countertops anywhere else’s in my kitchen ha!! Upstairs I would try putting a hall cabinet with drawers( nothing high) where you can have more storage. Something that you’d see in an entrance way against a wall with a lamp or pics … just an idea…you’ve got quite a lot of space to work with how fun… love all the windows looks so bright… can’t wait to see your final pics… so excited for you all…, ps giving each girl their own bathroom… smart lady:) you’ve given yourself a lifetime of quite mornings and evenings as they always want to use the bathroom at the same time oddly enough lol…
    Thanks for sharing with us 
    Enjoy your weekend we are having hot humid weather too it’s our holiday today:) and a hot week ahead 🤗🤗
    Karen 

    1. Yeah, they fight so much as it is, and while they’ve shared a bathroom here, it’s got one door. I started to envision the fighting if they both have access to a separate door… and then my older daughter has ruined her bedroom carpet doing her makeup in there on the floor. I told her she MUST keep her makeup in the bathroom in the new house (she will have new carpet in her BR) and then that brought on a whole other round of “but I can’t keep it in the bathroom because Becca will use it…” and I know she is right. So then I caved on the separate bathrooms. While I’d love to keep one nice and clean for guests, I think this will make more sense on a daily basis.

      I don’t know that I want a table in the middle of the foyer, I’m afraid it would be awkward to move around. I was thinking a big rug and leaving it open – and then there is a space for a sofa table or wall table by the wall down on the right, by the staircase, that I can style and make really pretty with a picture over it and accessories. 🙂

      1. Oh yeah you certainly made the right call on the bathrooms and guests are just in and out … the girls are there daily… yes I think leaving the foyer open would be better … more room/ less clutter.

  14. Thanks for sharing with us. What a beautiful home! My favorite is the stone fireplace and big window. That room will be cozy and stunning. The kitchen is lovely as well. What about a craft/ gift wrapping  room for the little room upstairs? I’ve always wanted an organized space to be able to have wrapping paper, ribbons, etc easily accessible for birthdays and holidays and such. 

    1. I’ve always wanted that too. Not sure it’s quite big enough, though, and I don’t do a lot of wrapping. But I need a spot to keep that stuff, regardless. I need to think on that. Maybe in that awkward spot in the laundry room.

  15. Your new home is just gorgeous–you’re going to make it wonderfully special. Upstairs laundry is the best, you will love it!

  16. Thank you so much for taking us on a tour of your new house while it’s empty.  It will be fun seeing how different and fresh is looks with new paint, your furniture, etc.  I know it will be so nice.  Have fun!

  17. It is beautiful and can’t wait to see your updates. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

  18. You will LOVE the second floor laundry. I have had one for the past 15 years and would never go back. It just makes such sense to have the laundry where the bedrooms are. In our first home, the washer and dryer were tucked away behind bi-fold doors in the kitchen. I really did not like living with that arrangement. I mean, seriously, who thought cooking and laundry should be in the same space? Your new home is lovely! What fun you will have making it your own. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.

    1. LOL, I would hate to have my laundry in the kitchen! Yes, I am used to walking my laundry down and back up and I don’t think twice about it, but now that I have it up there, I’m SO excited.

  19. Congratulations and thanks for sharing! It’s beautiful and I’m excited to see your transformations along the way😊

  20. Why are you getting rid of ceiling fan in the bedroom? I can see changing design ….but where I live everyone has a fan in the bedroom.

  21. Wow wow & wowie!! Such a beautiful home. You all will add to it the special touches, making new memories. Absolutely beautiful!!! Now the fun begins, getting settled in.. Enjoy your beautiful home with your family!!! Can’t wait to see pictures to come of the designing you will do! ❤️ God Bless!!

    1. Haha! Do you like them stacked? Do you have yours stacked? It’s odd but I’m getting used to it. What I don’t like about it is, I usually fold my clothes right there as I take them out, and I stack them on top. Not sure where I’ll do that now – the laundry is on the opposite end of the house from my bedroom, but I guess I could just put it all in a laundry basket and take it down there to fold and sort on my bed?

  22. Such a beautiful new home, congratulations!! I saw the tour on IG and the backyard is just gorgeous!

  23. Thanks for sharing your beautiful new home!!!! May all of you enjoy it in good health and for many years!!! I enjoy your blog!  Jo-Lynne you are awesome!! Blessings to you and your family!!!

  24. Love your new home. We have an extra little nook too and when our girls were small it was a play area that became a homework area and an area for the Wii. When boys started coming over we turned it into the “courting room” since boys were not allowed in their bedrooms. We put in a small sofa, ottoman, lamp, and tv on small dresser with games and such. This allowed some sense of privacy but open to family walking by at any time. They loved it and often used it to watch movies together instead of separately being in their own rooms. Now they’re grown and gone and it’s my reading nook. I’m sure whatever you choose to do with the nook will be beautiful.

  25. What a beautiful house, JoLynne!  I look forward to having you take us along as you make it your own.  

  26. I just love your new home!!! That upstairs nook would be a great reading nook! Of couse, you could add cabinets and use it for blog spillover. A cozy reading area would be welcoming for guests……Enjoy the process and thank you for sharing!

  27. Oooh I LOVE that big huge window in the family room!  Overall great house!  Can’t wait to see what all you do with it!  I agree with the previous comments, a big overstuffed chair under the window would be perfect for that upstairs nook.   Could be where you go for uninterrupted me time!  Lol.  Congrats and have fun decorating! 

    1. I looked at it again yesterday, and I think we can definitely fit a chair and a table there. We also have a bookcase with glass doors my husband wants to put there — I need to measure and see if it would hold that and a chair.

  28. I can’t wait to see everything you do with the new house! It’s really so lovely. Too funny about the girls and the bathrooms! You were probably smart to give in to keep the peace. Have you already worked out with them who shares with your son when he’s home and who shares with guests staying in the guest room?

    I love the idea of a round table and rug in the foyer. We have a very large foyer and I have considered doing that in ours. I don’t think you’d have to have a huge table to make a nice impact and that way you’d still have plenty of room to move around it.

    1. Yeah, he doesn’t care who he shares with – still hasn’t even seen the house.🙄 I think I’ll put him in the Jack & Jill that shares with his younger sister – it’s bigger.

  29. Your new house is very nice!  I think the nook would be great for a private office or for homework or possible a small library of books.  Maybe a walk in closet would be good for your blogging outfits.  
    Before you remove the ceiling fan, consider just updating it.  I have a ceiling fan in my master and there are many times that I’m so thankful for some air movement above my bed; spring and fall with the windows open and the air off, summer when it gets very hot!, and winter for upward circulation which take the hot air that rises and brings it back down.  There are some very nice, updated models of fans on the market now, just make sure you get a super quiet one so that you don’t hear the motor or blades running when you are trying to sleep. 

    1. I agree with you about the ceiling fan. My sister bought a gorgeous new house and she wanted to yank all of them out, but she just updated them. She is so glad that she just replaced them. They have beautiful new ones with all kinds of options. I would at least think about it. 😊

  30. Congrats. I’m excited to follow your journey  envious of that backyard pool. Are you sure the ceiling fan in the master needs to go? What am I missing.? Especially during this heat. I love mine in my master.  Set me straight  enjoy the 4th

  31. Thanks for sharing Jo-Lynne! Love the layout of your new home. Can’t wait to see it evolve into your personality. Wishing you many, many years of happiness!

  32. Beautiful home. I look forward to seeing you decorate. I am so very happy for you and your family.

  33. Thanks for sharing your beautiful home with us, Jo-Lynne. I can’t wait to see how you decorate it. I’m going to join the others, that little nook is perfect for a spot to do quiet activities, like reading. In your laundry room, what is behind the door? Is there space for a little table or counter to fold your laundry? If not, then I would be “unstacking” the washer and dryer as I think you will get tired of walking to your bedroom to fold laundry. Plus I like to have a hard surface when I do that chore. I think it was a smart move to give both girls a bathroom.

  34. Beautiful! Can’t wait to see the pool!! Enjoy decorating, will love to follow along! Our home is similar, now my husband wants to downsize with just 2 of us rattling around here! Can’t seem to give in, I love the space!

    1. Yeah, I like space. 🙂 People think we’re nuts for upsizing when our family is losing one, but I figure it’s just a matter of time until they bring home spouses and children… even if just to visit, the space will be nice to have.

  35. So excited for you having your new home.  For me….the carpet would be the first thing to go as I’m a hardwood flooring fan.  But it’s a lovely home.  As to your “nook” on the second floor why not some pretty chairs and great art work for a reading nook or just a place to land and talk.  Love the idea of your mudroom…good luck retraining the kids to put everything in there…..I’m sure they’ll do great.  Best wishes on a new lovely home.  So happy for you.

    1. Thanks, Sherli. I love hardwoods too but in the interest of our budget, we’re putting carpet back in the 2nd floor. It will be clean and new, tho! 🙂 I am getting hardwoods in my office – it’s currently carpet. Some day I may put wood in living room and family room eventually. I’m curious to see how well they can match what we have now. It’s not a stock color b/c the previous owners refinished it. If I like how the office looks, I’ll probably do the living and family rooms in a few years. Crossing my fingers! I hate mis-matched wood floors.

  36. I love your pretty new home! I could see a homework desk or window seat with shelves for a sweet reading area in your “nook.”

    1. Yes, I think maybe a spot for my husband to do his bills… so his papers aren’t all over the dining room table. 😉 I thought he could do that at the desk in kitchen, but I fear that spot will already be a catch-all for clutter, and it’s still in our main living space. I think he needs his own little station.

  37. Although I’ve seen it frequently, I’ve never understood the placement of a round table and/or chairs as foyer decor. I’m in favor of quiet open space. Maybe an indoor tree with lights at Christmas?  Would your laundry room accommodate an ironing board w/ iron available at all times? And for your nook…what a beautiful place to create a cozy spot to greet the day (or evening) and commune with God. Blessings for your family in its new homestead. 

    1. Thanks for the ideas, Judy! I think they had an ironing board that folds down hung on the door in the laundry, and it would have come down into that awkward open space. There is a door on the right that houses the A/C unit or something industrial looking like that. Haha. So maybe I should replicate that. I just think that empty space is so ugly, and I miss having a place to fold and stack clothes. 🙂 I usually iron in my bedroom.

  38. Jo-Lynne- Your new house is just absolutely stunning! I love the colonial style and we have many antique pieces in our home to reflect that era. I am so happy for you and your family and you will create many wonderful memories there! I would put a bookcase and cozy seating in that nook area if I were decorating. Thank you for sharing this exciting phase of your life! Congratulations!

  39. just getting back from camping, my rule is no electronics enjoy nature, so just getting to check my emails. Beautiful Home Congratulations

  40. Just checking in! Your new home is lovely. The space! You will have so much fun (& money) putting your own stamp on it. 
     I agree with the girls in that why share a bath so the occasional guest has their own. I know it is a luxury but it will save many arguments. 
    My daughter recently bought a house with the laundry upstairs. It is so convenient! No lugging laundry baskets of dirty up and down stairs. You’ll love that feature. 
    I agree with those above. Your front entry is crying for a round table in the middle. I have a Pinterest board full of such but only a small entry. But..one never knows! 

  41. Beautiful home!! Congratulations and blessings to you and your family. Just as an FYI, I completely agree with you about making your washer/dryer a side by side. Mine are stacked also and although I’m much shorter that you, I wish I did things differently-I have a really hard time reaching the dryer😂 Also, please consider installing those drawers underneath the appliances-bending down to get the wet clothing gets painful!!

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